Various types of crab or fish traps have been proposed in the prior art over the years. Such traps usually comprise two sections hinged so that they can be disposed in an open position and then closed when the crab or fish has entered the space between the two halves. Their general configuration has been spherical such as in U.S. Pat. No. 237,231, dated Feb. 1, 1881; clam shell-shaped such as in U.S. Pat. No. 708,380, dated Sept. 2, 1902; or any one of a number of other odd shapes such as in U.S. Pat. No. 1,161,186, dated Nov. 23, 1915, or U.S. Pat. No. 113,292, dated Apr. 4, 1971. Furthermore, regardless of shape, such traps are often made in a collapsable manner such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,262,507, dated Apr. 9, 1918, 2,603,031, dated July 15, 1952, or 3,553,881, dated Jan. 12, 1971. Each of these constructions suffers from one or more disadvantages in use. The prime disadvantage of most of these prior art traps is that it is slow and difficult to close and, because of this, the fish or crab within the trap may escape before its means of egress is closed off. Furthermore, traps such as that shown in Hammond Pat. No. 113,292 dated Apr. 4, 1871, are top heavy and relatively unstable so that when they are set they tend to land on one side or another without opening. In this regard, it should be kept in mind that the usual method of setting these traps is merely to throw the trap over board from a boat and allow it to settle to the bottom of the body of water where, hopefully, when it lands it will land in an upright position and open.